How Do I Wash My Lingerie?

How Do I Wash My Lingerie?

Laundering bra in delicate wash in bowl with wildflowers

We’ve all done it…

Gather the laundry in the biggest pile possible for a single trip to the laundry room.

Only to then stuff the washer full of everything at one time…jeans with sheets, bras with towels….

It’s mass hysteria!

Washing your bras and lingerie laundry care hand wash delicate wash

Or do you secretly stash away your delicates after you’ve worn them and are absolutely lost on how to wash them…sentencing them to a life of once and done! Look no further… whether you think nothing of it to drop your bras into the washing machine, feel constantly rushed, or you just don’t know better….I’m here to help you out!

Washing your bras and lingerie doesn’t have to be hard. Hear me out. First and foremost bras DO NOT go into the washing machine and they certainly DO NOT get put into the dryer. Machine laundering warps and twists underwires, causes underwires to break through stitching, pills the fabric, causes deformations in moulded cups, and accelerates textile breakdown.

Each part of a bra is specifically engineered (yes, really) to perform a function. When all or parts are compromised you suffer the consequences. Ever pull your bra out of the washer and dryer to find the underwire is stabbing you where it never did before…that’s the reason. Or you pull out your new lacy babydoll only to find snags abound!

First, you should be washing your bras every 1 to 2 wears, especially during summer, if you are a heavy sweater, or wear oils/lotions/perfumes.

How exactly do you wash your bras and lingerie then? Simple. Hand wash and air dry.

It is much less time consuming and more effective now than it ever was. Pick up a rinse-free lingerie wash like SOAK (Call or pop in to snag some). It takes less time than waiting for the washer to finish and it will save you money, heartache, and discomfort!


  1. Locate a clean basin, sink or bathtub.
  2. Fill with cool water. Enough to cover the garment will do. Wash sets together. Wash like colors together.
  3. Add in 1 tsp of Soak wash per 1 gallon of water as the water is filling.
  4. Let soak for 15 minutes. (it’s okay if you leave them in longer…we all get busy or have to run out)
  5. No need to rinse
  6. Gently squeeze excess water out of the garment. Avoid squeezing underwire areas. Instead, lay out a clean color fast towel, place the bra on top of the towel, and roll up together. The towel will pull the excess water out.
  7. Lay flat to air dry. Always reshape moulded cups before drying. NEVER hang from one strap. To retain shape and avoid overstretching any one part of the bra, lay flat to air dry. If you must hang to dry, hang only by the gore (center most part of the bra).

This method of washing will maintain the elasticity of your bra, maintains the integrity of the garment’s fibers, underwire & hardware, keeps the shape intact, and assists in the longevity of the garment as a whole. Plus, the hooks are not going to snag any lace components! Use this hand wash method on your hosiery, silks, knits, baby clothes, makeup brushes, dog collars, and swimwear too!

Wash bras and lingerie

Additionally, SOAK wash is dye free, phosphate free, biodegradable, and made with plant-derived renewable ingredients. It comes in a variety of scents, including scentless!

When I switched from the last rinse free brand to SOAK, I literally saw the debris at the bottom of the sink and the oils from my bra floating on top. EWWW, gross! Not all rinse-free products are created the same.

That being said, if you have deodorant on your bra. Pick up a deodorant sponge (like this one). You can find them in most ladies emergency fashion kits too. Use the sponge to remove the deodorant from the fabric first, then wash as instructed.

SOAK is also safe to use in high-efficiency washers. So, if you decide to throw some machine washable knickers in a lingerie wash bag on a cool delicate cycle switch out your regular detergent for SOAK instead.

Wondering how often to wash…we’ve got you covered here!

There you go, bra and lingerie [hand] washing de-mystified! Happy washing, and as always…

Stay Perky!